Producers Michael G. Wilson and Barbara Broccoli gave a brief
update to Total Film magazine in the UK (February issue). Asked
what the current status of the project is, Wilson said: "Well,
our timeline's a little up in the air what with the situation
at MGM, so we have to be flexible. We just don't know enough
about the situation to comment, but we know it's uncertain."

This is not the first time that studio
disruption has put James Bond on ice. Back in 1989, a disagreement
over
TV distribution rights between MGM and Danjaq (the parent
company of the Bond production office, EON) held
up the next green light. It was not until studio management
changes in 1993 that work on the series began again in
earnest. A change of lead actor from Timothy Dalton to
Pierce Brosnan further extended the timeline, totaling
a six year gap between "Licence
To Kill" and "GoldenEye" in
1995.

Asked about the state of pre-production and the artistic
direction of Daniel Craig's
third outing as 007, Wilson said it was too early to know
how the film will shape up.

"Well... we've hired the
writers and we've been working with them but it's just too
early to say anything," he said. "You know, often
at this stage, I find myself saying, 'Oh, we're gonna do
this and that', then six months from now you'll say, 'That
isn't in the film at all - you told me it was...' I think
we're at the stage where a lot of ideas are floating around
that sound very good, but whether they make the final cut,
who knows?"

When Daniel Craig slipped in
to the famous tuxedo and the franchise rebooted with "Casino
Royale" in 2006, Bond's character
took on more layers as we witnessed his development as a double-O. "I
think Daniel's such a superb action and I think his portrayal
of the character is one where he explores his vulnerabilities",
Broccoli praised. Will this character development become a consistent
thread during Craig's tenure? "I hope so, that's what we're
aiming for," she said. "I think that part of the excitement
is about not just having Bond go through the physical challenges,
but the emotional ones as well."

And what about the future of Quantum, the evil organisation
that is a modern day replacement for SPECTRE? "It's really
hard to tell", Wilson said. "It was an interesting
idea and it fits with the timing of the film. But what, when
and how we might use it again is not clear to us."

In recent months, Daniel Craig has said
he expects filming
to start in late 2010, indicating a tentative release
window of late 2011. Dame Judi Dench has been told to hold
her diary for early 2011 to film her scenes as MI6 chief
M.

Bond 23 is being written by regular Bond
duo Neal Purvis and Robert Wade, and "The Queen" and "Frost/Nixon" scribe
Peter Morgan. Daniel Craig will play 007 for the third time,
with Dame Judi Dench returning as MI6 chief 'M'. David Arnold
will compose the score for his sixth 007 movie. Producers
Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson have yet to confirm
a director.